Finally decided to sell my E30 forreallzz

"ZHP Sparky, the 5th" (e30s2k)
08/07/2018 at 14:35 • Filed to: None

Oppo, I’m officially selling my E30. It’s the right decision given how little usage the car currently gets having a newborn at home (which probably won’t change much as she grows up, given that it’s not a particularly safety-laden or baby-friendly car).

I’ve listed it on CL -

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Have a couple of folks coming to look at it/have an inspection done who seem like enthusiasts who are genuinely interested in the car. Just wanted to share on here in case anyone in the Oppo family is local to the PNW and may have some interest. Not looking for any input or critiquing on my ad or pricing :P I will say I’m flexible within limits though, especially for a fellow Opponaut .

I t’s a sad chapter but it’s been fun getting the car freshened up and ready for the next owner (almost to the level where I’m starting to want to back out, given how clean everything is looking). But I know it’s the right decision and am excited for the next chapter.

Very thankful that my wife has been super supportive and insists on me replacing it with a newer fun car ASAP that we could use as a family, although I had initially planned on just holding off for a while and saving the money.

My s2k is long gone, and soon the E30 will be too…so I guess I’ll have to change my handle to “blank”?

DISCUSSION (26)

MonkeePuzzle > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/07/2018 at 14:47

good ad. best of luck with the sale.

thoughts on what the replacement will be? or perhaps what era/genre of car you are thinking of?

MonkeePuzzle > MonkeePuzzle
08/07/2018 at 14:55

oh. 10/10 ad I’d put the VIN in the CL field. Makes it easier for a buyer to run a carfax before test driving so they can be upfront about how they plan to nickle and dime you over every item on the report.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > MonkeePuzzle
08/07/2018 at 14:57

Thanks!

I’d like to stick with a RWD manual. I’m leaning towards an E46 because that’s what I’ve had in my mind forever as my next BMW. Thinking M3 convertible (get to finally have an S54, cheaper than coupe, my track days are behind me, probably less abuse, wife and kid will enjoy it too)…but may also consider ZHP of some variety if M3 maintenance costs seem like more than I’m able to tolerate.

Any other suggestions I should be looking in to? Something that can fit a car seat in the back, has at least some safety equipment, and isn’t too much of a maintenance nightmare. Not too worried about fuel economy given that this car will probably see 2k miles a year max. Hoping to not put too much money down beyond what I get for the E30, so budget will probably max out around $10k.

MonkeePuzzle > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/07/2018 at 15:13

it’s a super bummer, but as a dad too, I’ve put down rear side curtain airbags as a desirable feature on any new toy I get.

I’ve just recently seen a few accidents where the side curtains were literal life savers.

RPM esq. > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/07/2018 at 15:22

I’m local (Seattle) and seriously interested. rpm dot handshake at gmail.

CompactLuxuryFan > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/07/2018 at 15:24

Can you get an E46 M3 manual for 10k these days? Don’t even think you can get a manual ZHP for that :-/. I do think E46 is the way to go, though!

gmctavish needs more space > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/07/2018 at 15:30

Man it’s a good thing I don’t have a passport or much spare cash, or I’d be finding a way to take that beauty off your hands

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > CompactLuxuryFan
08/07/2018 at 15:38

Yeah it’s tough but doable I think - being familiar with both the SFBay Area market and PDX prices do seem a bit lower here (probably less money, demand, and general dreariness outside of summer). I’ve seen a few pretty decent listings right around $10k that I’d expect there is some negotiation space on - and I’m OK with a mechanically solid car that isn’t cosmetically 100% that I can spruce up over time. It is meant to be a project/toy after all.

ZHPs right around $10k, maybe a bit less seem pretty easily doable out here - although there are very few to pick from.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > MonkeePuzzle
08/07/2018 at 15:41

Absolutely. Having a wife who is much more safety conscious and a FIL who is a fire chief has opened my eyes a bit. Before I met my wife, in my early 20s, I seriously never even considered safety as a factor in buying a car. I commuted in the E30 100 miles a day bombing up and down freeways without a care in the world...times have changed lol.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > RPM esq.
08/07/2018 at 15:48

emailed!

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > MonkeePuzzle
08/07/2018 at 15:50

Meant to do that after initially posting but lost track of that, thanks!

MonkeePuzzle > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/07/2018 at 16:18

yeah, dont get my wrong, I personally commute in a 90s tincan civic, that’s going to fare only marginally better than a motorcycle in a crash. but I’m shopping for a second car thats less fun with ALL the airbags :D

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/07/2018 at 16:58

Sad to see it go...any ideas what you'd replace it with?

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
08/07/2018 at 17:05

Thinking of an E46 of some variety, but a bit turned off by the maintenance. I think I’d rather go sedan, wagon, or drop top – never been a huge fan of coupes and doesn’t sound like fun with a baby seat in the back.

Any AWD/RWD manual recommendations around the $10k or less price point are welcome!

Longtime Lurker > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/07/2018 at 20:46

The previous owners of my E30 actually bought it specifically as a family car when they had their first-born, because the car seat wouldn't fit in the wife's Corvette. What difference 30 years makes.

cynic123 > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/07/2018 at 21:28

You will regret selling it in 15 years when you want to teach your daughter to drive but Everything will be single pedal plug-ins and manual transmission three pedal machines are mere distant memories. #e30 Hodl

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/07/2018 at 22:26

I’ve always loved 4th-gen Subie Legacy wagons, but they ARE getting older now...

The 5th gens were uglier to me, but they did have manuals as an option? Both would of course be in your price point?

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
08/08/2018 at 12:23

I like where your head is at but I’ve already barked up that tree J Used to own a 2005 Legacy GT 5MT wagon. Was a wonderful car but a bit too bargey to be a fun car, and the understeer along with concerns about the engine blowing up any day didn’t make it quite as fun as it could’ve been.

BLCKSTRM > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/08/2018 at 15:28

You could get a pretty well- sorted E36 M3 s edan for $9-12k.

And they're certainly not depreciating anymore.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > BLCKSTRM
08/08/2018 at 15:50

True, and there are a couple of local listings that look pretty nice that I’m actually looking in to . Would rather have a solid E36 than a tired bottom of the pack E46, especially with S54 maintenance costs.

Any knowledge if the E36 sedans have any kind of rear seat safety (side curtain airbags, etc.)?

BLCKSTRM > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/08/2018 at 16:01

No, I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t an option.

I googled it and found this on the E39 , though:

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1813709-Child-Seats-and-Rear-Side-Impact-Airbags

tl;dr is they were installed (options) but not activated from the factory, and activated at the dealer if rear-seat occupants were expected to be big enough. They were to remain de-activated if you were going to have little kids back there.

BLCKSTRM > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/08/2018 at 17:04

Of course I kept reading - it seems like the E46 can have the same issue as an E39 5er. https://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=989237

If you DO decide that’s a requirement and go with an E46 , I’d have a dealer check to make sure they are active / they CAN activate them.

Obviously, putting your kid in the center is the safest (as long as you just have one), and with BMW recommending you de-activate the rear-seat airbags for little kids , it may not make much difference for a while until they’re bigger / until you have more kids and can’t just put one in the center.

I’ve got 4 kids, by the way. My oldest (a 13 year-old) was 4 when I got the M3. My back seat has seen a car seat and two boosters ( all at the same time) . Two car seats and a booster was too much, but since the center i s just a lap belt anyway, I just used a pillow or something to boost my center rider up. Three in back actually fit better in the M3 than in my wife’s 1st gen CTS-V. People who complain about rear seat room in a 3 series are coming from a Suburban or something.

All that said, the M3 was never the primary vehicle when the whole family was traveling, but it remains more than capable of hauling 5 people when needed without being too cramped .

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > BLCKSTRM
08/08/2018 at 17:51

Wow, thanks for all that info. Yeah seriously it’s a confusing thing - and almost feels weird as the consumer to be the person to decide whether or not having active side airbags is a good thing or not.

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/08/2018 at 23:02

A V8 S4?

Just kidding, if I was trolling I would have said B5 S4.

Stupidru > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/09/2018 at 19:59

I have my E36 for sale at all times. It’s my “make me sell” price

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > Stupidru
08/10/2018 at 11:08

Man I understand. Even the price I’ve listed the car for honestly I don’t care about that money. I’d rather have the car if I actually was able to drive it more. An offer for a few grand less than what I’m asking and I’ll simply keep holding on to it and driving it when I get a chance. It’s tough trying to sell a car that you have a strong emotional attachment to, but this time I’m hoping it will work out for the good of the car.